Thrifty Thursday: Make Baking Mixes in a Jar (or bags)

I love making mixes in the jar for me to use and I plan to make some this winter for gifts (especially with Black Friday shopping coming up tomorrow).  Are you thinking ahead to making holiday gifts?  I am!!!  I bought sets of cookie cutters after Christmas last year so I am going to match them with cookies in a jar or another mix like pancakes to make a nice teacher gift and gifts for friends.

Everyone is looking to make their life easier and have tasty treats.  These thoughtful treats can be whipped up when the family needs them to add to their meals and you can make as little or as much as you need to make a complete present.

Make a nice basket with pasta, sauce, and baking mix or beer bread and jelly (trust me that it is yummy).  I was thinking about a Mexican basket with corn bread mix and the neat Old El Paso sauces and maybe some tortillas.  I am planning on doing a few baskets for the holidays so I have been looking for options from breakfast to complete meals.

Here is where I showed you how to make the corn bread jar.  I started making these jars so often that I asked for this this neat canning funnel for last Christmas which I love. 

But don't worry if you don't have a canning funnel because I used to roll a piece of paper and tape it so that everything went into the jar and not on the counter (or you could pour slowly but that is too much patience for me).

The sad part of the corn bread recipe is that it doesn't fill up the whole large jar and is too much for the small jar.  I know that many people think of the jar cookie mixes that have the pretty layers and those are great but these are even more functional.  I normally mix mine up and as long as they fit in the jar then I am pleased and I am sure whoever gets the gift will be as well.

I make a recipe for honey beer bread and that fit perfectly into the larger jar so I highly recommend that recipe and you can throw in a can of beer if you think they would need it (if they aren't normally beer drinker).  The only thing they would need is honey and butter to put together a tasty treat!!

Scones or Greek Yogurt Scones is another great one.  Depending on whether you are giving this gift to someone who loves to bake or only likes baked good, you could do only the dry ingredients or you could blend in the butter and the toppings so that they only have to add the last few liquid ingredients.  Of course, that means that it needs to be refrigerated (or frozen) until use so not good to wrap a ahead and sit under the tree so decide how your friends and family would appreciate this one mixed up.

I keep some jars in my cupboard for everyday use including two cornbread, two scones, and one other one that changes (from beer bread to applesauce bread and more).  It helps to have the jars already mixed with the dry ingredients because you can make the meal just like using a boxes mix.  Make a few for yourself and a few for gifts.  If you use the same thing over and over, use a label maker to attach a label that can be reused.  If you change yours up, use a dry erase marker on the glass and it will wash off when you need to change it.  I also label with a small post it note but they don't often stay in place so

If you are looking for something a little easier to put together, grab a packet of seasoning and a bag or box of pasta and write a helpful shopping list of the items that they will need to finish making dinner.  I bought the McCormick Gourmet Spice packets and the McCormick recipe inspirations (one found with the spices and the other found with the gravies and other packets).  It will save time and money (and lots of thought) so that they get a neat little dinner from a quick and easy basket.  It would be great for the holidays or even for family with a new baby!!

Now I am going to have to start brain storming labels to put on my jars and bags so that all the gifts are ready to go with instructions. I will certainly share if I come up with anything pretty but usually functionality wins out because I put it off for too long and then it is time to give gifts and I am not ready!!  Fabric over the top and ribbon would also be pretty so we will see how creative I get with the decorations for my function jars.

I hope that this helps you come up with some great ideas and recipes to make a neat basket for holiday gifts for friends and family.  Enjoy this fun and frugal activities to make lots of great gifts for friends and family (and maybe a few for yourself)!